Seeing Through Shadows
by 13CC
Summary: (ZukoSokka) Zuko takes Sokka prisoner. Commander Zhao wants Sokka, but Zuko is not willing to give him up. RR please! I hope you like it.
1. Chapter One

Sokka sat in his dark, cold prison cell in an angry silence. He was furious at getting caught.

_They had stopped at a village to re-stalk their supplies. A storm had hit, and forced them to stay the night. It cleared off around midnight. _

_Katara and Aang were sleeping, when Sokka decided to go out into the garden and practice some moves he had learned on Kioushi Island from the warriors. _

_As he was doing this Zuko and his men had snuck up on him, knocked him out, and taken him on board the ship- a prisoner._

Sokka had just woken up about an hour ago. One of the guards had left as soon as he saw the boy's eyes open. No doubt to tell Prince Zuko.

"Hey! Wake up!" Barked one of the guards. Sokka's head snapped up. He must have fallen asleep. "Prince Zuko wants to speak with you."

The cell door was open. Another guard walked in and grabbed Sokka's wrists. Out of instinct, he fought back. Thrashing, and pulling, and twisting with all his might. Trying his best to escape.

Two more guards ran in and, after a bit of a scrabble, managed to shove Sokka's face into a wall, and tied his hands behind his back. Even though he knew that he couldn't win, Sokka couldn't help but try to shake them off.

They just held him tighter, and pressed his face harder into the wall.

The men pulled Sokka up and dragged him through the halls of the fire nation ship.

It was very- red. It was not decorated, but the colors were beautiful. Sokka was glad to see that the prince at least had good taste in colors.

"Ah, the prisoner." Sokka tore his gaze from the walls, and looked into the dark, unforgiving eyes of Prince Zuko.

He held in a whimper as the prince took Sokka from the guards, and lead him, forcefully, into an empty room.

Zuko shoved Sokka in before him. Then he closed the door, and turned his eyes so that they again, met with the soft blue ones that belonged to the Avatar's friend.

After a long pause Zuko asked, "What is your name?"

"Why should I tell you?"

Flames erupted from the fire prince's knuckles.

"Sokka!" He cried, before he could stop himself.

"That's better," Zuko said in a smooth tone. The flames disappeared, and the prince walked closer, causing Sokka to back away in fear.

"Sokka," Zuko said, trying out the name, "Where is the avatar headed? If you tell me, I won't hurt you." Zuko said this so calmly, and in such a promising way, that Sokka had to bite his tongue to keep from telling the prince everything he knew about Aang's plans.

Zuko sounded so- different. Like a- friend almost. This caused a flicker of courage in Sokka. "Do you seriously think I'd tell you?" He asked in a sarcastic voice.

"Yes I do," Zuko said in a dangerous voice, walking closer, as flames grew slowly on his clenched hands, creeping up his wrists.

Sokka's heart was pounding against his ribs. A little voice in the back of his head was screaming, 'Run, run, run!' but Sokka ignored it. He stood his ground as the fire prince came ever closer.

Zuko reached out with both hands. Sokka squeezed his eyes shut. He could feel the heat of the fire as it drew closer to his face. Zuko grabded the collar of his shirt roughly. His eyes flew open. Zuko pulled him so close that he could distinctly make out every crease of annoyance spread over the prince's face.

Lucky for Sokka the prince had extinguished the fire that had been there only moments before.

"You will yell me everything you know about the Avatar's plans. If you don't I will be forced to hurt you." At the last line Zuko's eyes flashed, promising that the "hurt" would be the worst pain Sokka had ever experienced in his whole life.

There was a knock on the door, and Zuko shoved Sokka away.

"Prince Zuko," A fire bender opened the door. "Commander Zhoa's ship has been spotted. It's heading our way. We think it might be chasing us."

"What? Bring the prisoner to the holding cell and- never mind, just tie him up in here." Zuko ran out, to see what it was that Zhoa wanted.

Was it possible that he had heard about Sokka?

"Prince Zuko," Zhoa smirked down at the young banished prince.

"What do you want?"

"I heard that you have a friend of the Avatar as your prisoner."

"So?"

"I would like to question it. Where is it?"

"I'm not telling you where he is. He's my prisoner, and I will question him as I see fit."

"Very well. Then I will take him by force." Fire shot from Zhoa's knuckles as he punched at Zuko. The prince managed to duck under it, but the Commander's men were on him in a flash.

They tied Zuko's hands behind his back, he pulled him to his feet. The prince struggled his hardest in attempt to get away. The men holding him twisted his arms sharply.

"Search the ship for a boy. Bring him to me. Now!"

"Yes sir!"

It wasn't long before the men emerged from belong, dragging Sokka between them.

"Take them to the ship, and put them in the holding cells."

At this order, Sokka felt a strong hand press a foul smelling cloth over his eyes, nose and mouth. He shook his head frantically back and forth, trying to get the cloth away, but who ever had it on him, held tightly.

Blackness quickly over took Sokka, and he knew that Zuko would be the next one to get the cloth in his face.

"Tie the water boy in front of Zuko. He won't use fire bending if he knows it will hurt that boy."

Sokka's vision was slightly blurry, and his head hurt terribly. It felt like he'd been sleeping for days. Where was he anyway?

That was Commander Zhoa talking. Suddenly, everything came flooding back to him. He was in Commander Zhoa's prison. They had taken him and Zuko from Zuko's ship.

Where was Zuko?

As his vision cleared, Sokka saw that there were three guards tying something around his waist.

It was Zuko! They were tying the boys together, at the waist, so that they were facing each other. Zuko's wrists were in between them, with the same rope that held their waists so close.

Sokka was disappointed to find that his hands were still behind his back where one of Zuko's guards had tied them originally.

After the guards left, and Sokka's head stopped hurting enough to think clearly, his cheeks turned bright red.

He and Zuko were tied _very_ close, and Zuko's hands were a little to close to something Sokka didn't want the fire prince touching.

13CC:_ I hope you like it. Once I get 4 reviews I'll write the next chapter! Oh, and sorry if it totally sucks. Please don't flame me!_

_Alright everyone. I'm sorry to say that they won't let me upload any stories until next week on Saturday night. They said I put on an illegal story, even though there was nothing wrong with it!_

_I have finished the third chapter and have started writing the fourth. Each chapter I need four or five reviews, so as soon as I get them, I'll upload my chapters._


	2. Chapter Two

13CC: _Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I hope you like the second chapter, and I will need 5 reviews before writing the third._

Zuko was still unconscious. Luckily. Sokka didn't want the prince to wake up. Ever. He couldn't bear being so close, and having Zuko actually awake. He would make some smart ass comment. Sokka just knew it.

The guards were gone, and no one could see them. This was a great relief. It would be way to embarrassing if anyone saw.

Especially because of the way they were both laying on the bed, facing each other. Only about two inches of space kept them from actually touching.

Sokka looked down at Zuko's hands. Those were another problem. What if Zhao was wrong, and Zuko did use fire bending? Ouch.

"Sokka?"

Sokka looked up quickly, blushing. Zuko might think he was checking him out. Although, he sounded pretty out of it. Come to think of it, it had taken Sokka awhile to realize what was going on when he had first woken up.

"Why are you so close to me? Get away!" Zuko commanded, trying to shove Sokka back. Unfortunately his hands were tied, and he only succeeded in making Sokka blush more.

"We're tied together?" He cried. Zuko wiggled around trying to pull away from Sokka, but since they were tied together Sokka's body only followed Zuko as he struggled.

"Cut it out!" Sokka yelled, stiffening his body in an attempt to get Zuko to stop pulling him around.

Zuko gave one big tug, that sent Sokka flying into him, and knocked both of them to the floor. Sokka landed on top, cheeks burning.

They lay there for a second in shock.

Then Zuko got his senses back.

"Get off me!" He jabbed his fingers into Sokka's gut.

"Ow!" He cried rolling off.

There was a long silence, in which both boys contemplated the situation. Zuko was wondering how they were going to make this work, and Sokka, who's thought were taking a very different course, was wondering what Zuko thought of him.

Sokka looked at Zuko, who's eyes were wandering around the room. When they did come to land on Sokka there was an instant time stop.

Everything seemed to freeze. There was nothing in the world, but the others eyes gazing back into their own.

Zuko opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted as the door opened.

Commander Zhao walked in with a big smirk on his face that Zuko desperately wanted to beat off, and then beat his whole face off.

"I see that the two of you seem to have taken a liking to each other."

Zuko tried to get up, probably to kill Zhao, but Sokka was still laying on the floor, making it impossible for the fire prince to rise.

This only caused the Commander's grin to broaden.

"You can still use fire bending Zuko. Unless you don't want to hurt that boy. Have you gone soft Zuko? All those years in exile must have really taken a toll on you," Zhao said in mock pity.

"What is your name boy?" Zhao asked. Sokka didn't know what to do. He didn't want to tell the Commander his name, but he didn't want to be hurt, or taken away from Zuko. Not that he'd mind being untied...

"I asked you a question!" Sokka was so surprised at Zhao's outburst, before he knew what he was doing, he buried his face into Zuko's chest. "You had better-"

"He doesn't want to tell you!" Zuko yelled. Sokka's eyes popped open. He realized what he had done, and what Zuko had said.

Zhao was furious. He took began walking slowing towards the two boys. Fire crept up his fingers, promising pain to anyone it touched.

"Commander!" came a cry from the hall. "Iroh's ship has been spotted!"

"Good. Full sail in his direction," Zhao order. He left the room without another word.

_Uncle Iroh must have gotten away_, Zuko thought.

There was a long silence, which Zuko broke by saying, "Let's try to get out of these ropes."

Sokka was looking into Zuko's eyes, or was trying to. Zuko refused to make eye contact again, but Sokka wouldn't give up.

Finally Zuko gave in, and looked at Sokka. For some reason he seemed- sad.

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked before he realized what he was saying. Sokka shook his head.

"I might be able to get the ropes off my hands. We have to get it so that my back is upright against the bed..." Sokka looked at Zuko to see his reaction to the plan.

"But how can- oh- no way!"

"It's the only way we have even a chance of getting out," Sokka argued.

"If you _ever_ mention this to _anyone_ I will _kill_ you!" Zuko threatened

"I know," Sokka reassured him.

The water tribe boy was sitting up with Zuko straddling him. It was the only they could get Sokka's wrists close enough to try and cut the rope.

One of the bars near the head of the bed had broken off. There was a small pointy-looking part that Sokka was rubbing his ropes against.

13CC: _Sorry this one's so short, but I wanted to get it up today, and I can't think clearly. I must have writers block or something. Don't worry, it'll go away in about two days. _


	3. Chapter Three

13CC: _Thanks again to all of my reviewers. I love you guys!_ _Enjoy chapter three!_

Sokka's arms ached. He had been rubbing the ropes against the bed for fifteen minutes. Zuko had been telling him to hurry up, for the past fourteen minutes, and his arms had been in pain for the past thirteen minutes. They felt numb now.

After a few more minutes of frantic rubbing, the ropes were thin enough for Sokka to break out of.

"I got it!" Sokka said in an excited whisper. He didn't want the guards to hear.

"Good. Now untie me!" Zuko ordered.

Sokka glared at the fire prince. He was having serious thoughts about leaving Zuko tied, and just untying himself.

But, no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't leave Zuko behind.

Sokka began trying to untie the other boys hands.

"Uh-" Sokka started.

"What?" Zuko asked. He was annoyed that Sokka had stopped trying to untie him.

"You- can get off me now," Sokka said with a huge blush.

Zuko blushed too, before sliding off of Sokka without a word. Both of them had to get up on their knees.

After a short pause, Sokka resumed untying the prince. He worked for about five minutes in silence.

"Done!" Sokka nearly yelled. Zuko clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Sh! Do you want the guards to hear you?" He hissed. Sokka shook his head no.

Zuko removed his hand, glaring.

Both boys reached down at the same time to untie the ropes holding them together.

Their hands touched, and Sokka's stomach did a back-flip.

Judging by the fire prince's expression, he had got the same feeling.

They looked at each other for a long time. Then Sokka reached down and continued to untie the knots.

Zuko just stared at the water tribe boy as he worked.

_Why am I thinking this? It's wrong. Sokka's a boy! But- NO! Sokka's hands are- shut up! Maybe he thinks of me the same way. Would he tell me? Of course not you idiot, you're his enemy! There is one way to find out..._

"Sokka-" Zuko was interrupted as the cell door opened.

It was Commander Zhao.

He looked at the boys untied hands, and turned to the one of the guards saying, "Bring in the chains."

"Yes sir!"

"Now. We have captured the Avatar's girlfriend. I believe she is from the same village as you?" Zhao asked, indicating to Sokka.

"Let her go!" Sokka yelled. He went to get up, and attack the Commander, but Zuko put his hands on Sokka's shoulders, holding him down.

Everyone expected the exiled prince to say something, but he remained silent.

The guards returned with a chain. It had a ring on each end of it.

"You will tell me everything you know about the Avatar's plans," Zhao said.

Zuko moved his hands from Sokka's shoulders by letting them slide down the boy's arms. This gave Sokka a spark of courage.

"Bite me!"

Zhao was infuriated. He looked like he was going to burn them both to a crisp. Then his normal calmness returned.

"We will put them on the island for three days," Commander Zhao announced.

Sokka didn't know what "the island" was, but he supposed it wasn't a good thing. He looked at Zuko to see what the prince thought of this.

His face remained cold, and expressionless.

"I will be waiting for them in the room," Zhao said with a bored wave, as he walked out.

One of the guards produced a knife, causing Sokka to flinch. He cut the ropes, and the boys were pulled to their feet.

They were lead down a dark hallway, and into an empty room. On the walls were stains that looked sickeningly like blood stains.

Commander Zhao was standing in the middle of the room with his back turned.

"What have you done with my sister?" Sokka bravely intoned.

"Get them ready," Zhao said, ignoring Sokka. The man's voice was filled with the promise of pain.

The guards holding them, pulled off their shirts, and clamped the rings around the boy's waists. There was about two feet of space between them. Then they were grabbed and shoved roughly into a corner.

The Commander turned around. A smile was plastered on his face. He was holding a long, black, leather whip in his right hand.

"This is for your rude behavior back in the cell."

Sokka's eyes widened. He knew what would happen next.

13CC: _I hope my chapters aren't getting boring. If they are please tell me, and I'll try to make them better! I would like four reviews before the next chapter please!_


	4. Chapter Four

13CC: _Thanks to all my reviewers. These were the best reviews I've had in a long time! I really hope that you like my story. I'm so sorry if you don't. Thanks again for the wonderful reviews, and I hope you enjoy the chapter!_

Zhao raised the whip and began to snap it across Sokka's back.

He screamed in pain.

The whip continued to come down hard, and lashed out at the skin that was already breaking. In an attempt to get some relief from the pain, Sokka pressed his chest firmly against Zuko's. This did not help as the Commander stepped closer, and beat harder.

The prince wanted to stop the torture. To get Sokka to stop screaming. To relive him from the pain he was in. There was a way he could that.

Zuko grabbed Sokka's arms, and pulled him to the side, as he stepped out the other way.

This resulted in Sokka being pushed into the corner, and Zuko taking the blows from the whip.

The bloody leather lashed into Zuko's bare back, and broke a cut into his pale skin. He ground his teeth, but did not cry out. He didn't want to give the commander the pleasure of knowing he had hurt the him.

To everyone's surprise, Zhao stopped. He lowered the whip with a triumphant grin.

He had hurt the prince. He had hurt his heart. Seeing one he cared abut being beaten on was to much for young Zuko to stand, and Zhao knew this.

Never in his sixteen years of life had Zuko ever cared for anyone, but his old uncle. Having someone that he actually loved was very different.

"Take them to the island now," Zhao said to a guard. His gaze never left Zuko's face. The corners of his mouth were tilted up in the slightest smirk.

Fire nation troops grabbed the boys, and lead them out of the room.

Zhao laughed as the two males were thrown into a small boat, landing with Zuko on top of Sokka. (A/n They're still shirt-less too!)

To make matters worst, both of them noticed, though they weren't sure anyone else had, their lips had brushed together. It couldn't be called a kiss, but it very close.

Zuko rolled off, blushing madly. The two of them stared hard at the floor so that no one would see their red faces.

The boat ride was long, and silent. No one spoke the entire two hours that they spent crossing the waters from the boat to the island.

Once they got there, Sokka and Zuko were dumped out in the shallow water.

They sat up and watched the small fire nation boat drifted back to rejoin the Commander's crew.

"Great," Sokka said, making Zuko jump. He had forgotten anyone else was there.

"I'm bored!" Sokka whined.

It had been almost an hour, and all they had done was walk up onto the beach, and sit. Zuko was meditating, and had been for about 55 minutes.

Sokka was bored to say the _least_. The worst part was that he couldn't get up and walk around. He was chained to the prince. All he could do was sit, and look at Zuko.

But, seeing as this seemed to bring sinful thoughts into his head, he tried to look at anything but Zuko.

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked in annoyance, not bothering to open his eyes.

He had noticed that Sokka was getting very fidgety. More than usual at least.

When Sokka didn't answer right away, Zuko opened his eyes and studied the other boy's face. It was pale, and sort of nervous looking.

He didn't look Zuko in the face, but he kept giving the prince quick side glances.

"What is it?" Zuko asked firmly, closing his eyes again.

"Mmm," Sokka thought desperately of an excuse. "Uh- I'm bored!"

"I don't care," Zuko said in tone meaning the conversation was over and Sokka would sit there as long as Zuko wanted him too.

"I'm not sitting here any longer!"

Zuko slowly opened his eyes and gave the water tribe boy one of his strongest glares. After that Sokka shut up and waited for another fifteen minutes until Zuko finished meditating.

"It's getting cold. We need fire wood," Zuko announced. The sun was setting, and with it warmth.

"I think it's going to rain," Sokka said looking up at the sky.

"It's not going to ra-" Thunder clapped and a shower of rain poured down, drenching the boys throughly.

"All of the wood is wet. We might as well find shelter," Sokka said. "Come on." Sokka reached out to grab Zuko's arm. He ended up grabbing the prince's hand.

The two of them made eye contact.

13CC: Ha, ha, ha! A cliffhanger! Now I can blackmail people! I want ten reviews before the next chapter.

P.S. It's just a cliffhanger because I can't think of anything else to write!


End file.
